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Staff

Professional Clinical Rehab Staff

Our very dedicated, credentialed and experienced medical and clinical team of caring doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists all work together to make each client's recovery a reality. The clinical staff at Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches is one of the best in the U.S. As experts in their respective fields, each brings years of training and experience to those attending our facility.

Administration

  • Jack Coscia – President
  • Deborah Mullaney – Vice President
  • Alan Stevens, MSW, LSW, ACSW – Chief Executive Officer
  • Vincent Gendusa – Chief Financial Officer
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  • Rene Reese,CMBM – Office Manager

    • Rene has been with BHOPB for ten years and been in the field of addictions for twelve. She celebrates twenty years of sobriety. At BHOPB she ensures the safety of every client’s credit cards, money, etc. and manages the clerical supplies. She became a Certificated Medical Business Manager at Florida Atlantic University. She is a member of the board of a local 12 step club called “The Meeting Place.” In her free time she enjoys riding her Harley Davidson 2008 Heritage Soft Tail. She also raises money every year for Jerry’s Kids through the Muscular Dystrophy “Executive Jail and Bail.” This year she helped to raise $5,400.

  • Barbara Nesfield – Comptroller
  • Pete Coscia – Director of Capital Improvement

Admissions and Utilization Review

  • Rhett Toth – Director of Admissions
  • Elizabeth Potts – Assoc. Director of Admissions
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Medical Staff

  • MJ McManus – Director of Nursing
  • Louis E. Baxter, Sr., M.D., FASAM – Consulting Medical Director to the Athlete’s Program
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  • Dr. Louis E. Baxter is the Consulting Medical Director of Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches and the Medical Director of their Professional Athletes Program. He has over 30 years of experience in the addiction care field, and is also Director of The American Board of Addiction Medicine. He has served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine & Dentistry’s Newark Medical School since 2000. Dr. Baxter is a member of the National Board of Medical Examiners and American College of Sports Medicine. He’s also the Immediate Past President and board member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, a member of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and the American Board of Addiction Medicine, and a fellow of the American College of Legal Medicine.

    Dr. Baxter has been a Substance Abuse Consultant for the NFL since 2002, and the NBA since 2007. He has served on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the Advisory Council to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Liaison Council to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and is currently on the National Advisory Council to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

    After receiving his Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical degree from the Temple University School of Medicine, Dr. Baxter completed his Internal Medicine Internship and Residency at Cooper Hospital University Medical Center, and his fellowship in Addiction Medicine at Portsmouth Hospital in Portsmouth, VA. He is a dedicated addiction care professional, and an invaluable member of the BHOPB roster. His years of experience and comprehensive abilities in the substance abuse recovery arena have earned him top honors, including being published in a textbook for the American College of Legal Medicine. He has authored or co-authored many publications, including medical and medical-legal chapters in the private and public sector for State and Federal agencies on a variety of Addiction and Addiction Treatment issues. Dr. Baxter has been recognized as the Top Industry Expert in Addiction Treatment by Cambridge Who's Who for 2010 and 2011.

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  • Jodi E. Star, M.D. – Psychiatrist

  • Dr. Star has held a number of Clinical and Academic positions in the field of Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatry before coming to Seaside Palm Beach. After receiving her Medical Degree from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, she became the Chief Resident at Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH with triple board training in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child Psychiatry. She is also certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychosomatic Medicine and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

    Dr. Star has taken part in numerous clinical trials and has conducted research in the areas of: Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Mood Disorders, Eating Disorders, and “hands on” psychotherapy methods for children, adolescents, and adults.

  • Donna Murray – Nurse Practitioner 

Education, Assessment and Research Center Staff

  • Dr. Michael Weiner, PhD, CAP – Director of Education, Assessment and Research
  • Tammy Malloy, MSW, CSAT candidate – Assoc. Director of Education, Assessment and Research

Clinical Staff

  • Jerry Murray, LCSW, CAP – Clinical Director

    Jerry began his career in 1993 and has since dedicated his life to helping people recover from addiction and mental health issues. He holds a masters degree in social work from Barry University and is a certified addiction professional in the state of Florida. He is also licensed in the state of Florida as a social worker.
    A significant part of his professional work has been with the homeless and indigent populations. This experience has given Jerry a depth of knowledge in late stage intervention and recovery. In addition, Jerry was a seminal force in the founding of a forensic dual diagnosis program for Bay View Center and received Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Associations professional of the year award in 2004. Jerry is committed to the Holistic approach to recovery and authentically believes that this treatment approach offers hope and strength to all who want to recover and reclaim their lives from the brink of addiction ruin.

  • Al Gonzalez – Program Coordinator Phase II

    Al Gonzalez is the Program Coordinator for Phase II. He is primarily responsible for the administration for the daily operational duties of Phase II. Al received a BA degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Al has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. He is a certified CPI instructor. He has also been a member of the Palm Beach County C.I.T. (Crisis Intervention Teams) planning group as well as instructing Law Enforcement Officers in Crisis Intervention Training. Al has served as a Supervisor of a Mobile Crisis Team and provided training for outside agencies as well as Behavioral Health staff in Verbal De-escalation Techniques.

  • Charles Smith, MSW, CAP – Primary Therapist - Phase II

    Charles Smith, graduate of PBAU, has spent 21 years in the field of Alcoholism and Drug Addictions. Ten years was in the non-profit arena at CARP (Comprehensive Alcoholic Rehabilitation Program) and the last 11 years at Behavioral Health Care of the Palm Beaches.

  • His specialty includes treating airline personnel as well as doctors and clients in the medical field. He has spent many years working with the drug court as a court liaison for the Florida Marchman Act. Another facet of his experience is with the prison system, working with the public defenders and prosecutors to provide substance abuse placement for felony convicted inmates.
    His strengths are didactic presentations on the brain functions of addiction and relapse prevention. He is a Florida Board Certified Addictions Professional, and I am also a Certified Anger Management Professional.

  • Richard Broom – Therapist - Phase II
  • Heather Coll, MSW – Therapist - Phase II
  • Judy Batcher, M Ed,MHC – Therapist

    Judy began her career in 1991 working in nutrition with local doctors. Judy devised her own nutrition program to work with obese clients. It was during this time Judy became interested in therapy and went back to school and has since dedicated her life to helping people recover from addiction and mental health issues. Judy holds a bachelors degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Education (mental health counselor) from Florida Atlantic University.

    Being in recovery herself for over 20 years gives her in depth knowledge into substance abuse and the recovery process. Judy is committed to helping others find a new productive life in recovery.

  • Tori Hodge, MSW – Clinical Coordinator for the
    Lake Worth Campus - Seaside

    Tori received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University. She has worked in the mental health field since 1997. During her years in college she participated in Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches MSW student internship program and decided she loved BHOPB so much she would remain as a faithful employee. Tori has a diverse educational background with an Associates degree in Mechanical Drafting and Design, Associates degree in liberal Arts. She also has a Bachelors and Masters degrees in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University. Tori has worked in every aspect in clinical in all programs offered BHOPB, CADS and SeaSide. Tori specializes in chemical dependency, group & individual
    therapy focused on an eclectic therapeutic approaches, Life coaching
    and works as an Authorized EMDR practitioner.

  • One of her strengths is focusing on the social, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of a person and allowing them to learn and evolve in a safe environment toward living a sober holistic lifestyle. Along with her duties as a full-time devoted therapist, she is active in Palm Beach County as an Executive Board Member of Wayside House, non-profit women’s drug & alcohol residential treatment program. She also is on the Feminist Scholarship Boarding as acting President assisting students with scholarship funding to obtain their college education. She acts as a chemical dependency speaker and instructor for non-profit youth programs in the Palm Beach County area such as Turtle Nest Village. Tori is passionate about her work and helping people realize their potential and connecting them back to their true authentic self with spirituality as their guide thus beginning the healing process to a new life of freedom from active addictions.

  • Yvonne Steckel-Wier – Case Manager

    Yvonne received her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University. During her years in college, Yvonne volunteered at Hospice by the Sea in Boca Raton, FL and completed an internship at the local YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter. Yvonne has worked as a counselor, case manager and discharge planner in the field of addictions for the past seven years.

  • Prior to coming to Florida, Yvonne was employed by the German Red Cross in Bonn, Germany. She also participated in a project designed to assist and provide aid to runaway children in Berlin, Germany. Yvonne has a special interest in animal-assisted therapy approaches, especially equine assisted therapy. She resides in West Palm Beach with her husband and son Soco.

  • Melissa Albritton – Case Manager
  • Lorraine Gennarelli – Case Manager
  • Betsy Michelena, CAP – Case Manager

Specialized Clinical Staff

  • Mary Stanley, MSW, CAP – EMDR Therapist

    Mary graduated in 1999 from Barry University with a Masters Degree in Social Work. Prior to her studies at Barry University, Mary earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Florida Atlantic University. She is a certified addictions specialist (CAP) with an additional certification in EMDR therapy and is currently working on licensure for her LCSW. Her specialty is trauma resolution. She is also a certified county and family mediator with the Judicial Court System and a certified criminal justice specialist (CCJS). Mary enjoys Ballroom Dancing in her free time, which is her own therapy. She has two children and five grandchildren that are the loves of her life.

  • Jay Goldman LCSW, EMDR – Therapist - SeaSide
  • Dr. Randy Lyons – Acupuncturist
  • Carol Martz, MSW – EMDR Specialist

    Carol Martz is a trauma therapist and uses EMDR therapy to assist clients in resolving trauma issues that may lead them to relapse if not addressed. In addition, her passion is helping woman restore their lives in sobriety with grace and dignity. Prior to entering the field of addiction treatment she was involved in management of food service and interior design operations.

    Her past experiences help her relate to adult clients and specific issues associated with stress and addiction in the corporate world. Life changing events led her to change careers and obtain her Masters Degree in Mental Health counseling and addiction from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL. She is also licensed in the state of Florida as a LMHC.

  • Tonya Menz-Pignato, LCSW – Family Program, Hero’s Journey Program

Client Care Staff

  • Alan Buchanan – Director of Residential Services
  • John Peccerillo – Director of Food Services
  • Lance Blake – Supervisor of Residential Services - Lake Worth
  • Frank Godderis – Supervisor of Residential Services - Waterway
  • Megan Halvey – Director of Guest Services - SeaSide

Spiritual Advisors

  • Father Vince DiPasquale
  • Rabbi Nahum Simon
  • Jory Kareem
  • Don Erhardt

Regional Service Representatives

  • Charles Hund
  • Jaime Delgado
  • Jesse Coscia
  • Ken Fuller
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  • Tom Shea – Community Liaison

    Tom earned his bachelors degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts. Ten years ago he started working with BHOPB and has served as a residential manager and an intake therapist. Now he works as a representative for BHOPB’s Aviation, Police, Fire and Corrections programs. Outside of BHOPB, he is a local VFW member and enjoys playing tennis.

  • Kerry Roesser
  • Richard Wolff
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  • Cindy Goss – Emergency Management Expert

    Cindy has spent 20 years of her life addressing the myriad mental health issues resulting from critical incident crisis response. Since 1995, Cindy has been President of the Catch a Falling Star Law Enforcement Assistance Program, referring officers to necessary professionals and managing complex cases from beginning to end. She also teaches effective techniques to deal with a broad-based spectrum of issues, such as job burnout, fitness, resource referrals, and relaxation. Cindy is a frequent guest speaker at international conferences and has received awards from the FBI and numerous other law enforcement organizations. In 2006, Cindy wrote and produced “When Trauma Doesn’t Bleed,” bringing to light the often-overlooked emotional costs suffered by the first responder community. She earned her Master of Arts in Social Policy and Development from the State University of New York.